Motor-vehicle frame.



No. 837,477. PATENTED DEC. 4, 1906. .LW. LAMBERT & G. M. FULLER.

MOTOR VEHICLE FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED ulms. 1906.

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No. 837,477. V PATENTED DEC. 4, 1906.

J. W. LAMBERT & G. M. FULLER.

MOTOR VEHICLE FRAME.

APPLIOATION FILED mmzs. 190s.

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vwzntow cw 'm Jud) Hwww UTTED STAES earner ornien JOHN W. LAMBERT AND CHARLES -M. FULLER, 0F ANDERSON, INDIANA,

ASSIGNORS TO THE BUCKEYE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ANDER-' SON, iNDIANA.

No. sea-e77.

MOTOR-VEHECLE FRAME.

Patented Dec. 4 1906.

Application filed January 23, 1906. Serial No. 297,482.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN W. LAMBERT and CHARLES M. FULLER, citizens 'of the United States of America, and residents of Anderson, county of Madison, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motorevehicle Frames, of which the following is a full and clear specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan, and Fig. 2 a side elevation, of a motor-vehicle running-gear, showing our invention. Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the pivots of the engine-frame.

The object of this invention is to provide im roved engine-supporting means which wil practically entirely eliminate the wellknown and very objectionable strains on the engine frame and shaft due to the twisting or distortion of the body-carrying frame when encountering inequalities in the road-bed.

To the accomplishment of this object and I such others as may hereinafter appear the invention etonsists of the parts and combination of ar s hereinafter fully described, and particu arly pointed out. in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which the same reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings annexed by reference characters, A designates the usual chassis-frame, connected at its ends by crossbars B and intermediate its ends, atabout midway the length of the vehicle, by crossbar B. At its rear end this frame is supported on the rear or drivi axle by elliptical springs O and near its orward end by the rearward. extensions of semielliptical springs D, attached to the front axle.

The motor-support consists of an open rigid frame E, of a width and length to fit freely within the forward half of the main frame. The forward end of this frame is supported at its respective forward corners upon the front ends of the springs D, suitable bracket-arms F being bolted to the under side of the frame and extending forward and downward to the forward ends of the springs. As the springs D are located directly under the side bars of the main frame in order to obtain the desired Width of bearing on the axle, the bars F are curved outward sufliciently to permits the insertion of the starting-crank to engage the forward end of the engine-shaft.

' The engine is rigidly supported directly in the center of the subframe E by brackets G,

attached to its respective side bars. gine is preferably of the vertical multicylinder type, and its shaft extends horizontally rearwardly to a point behind the middle cross-bar B, where it has attached to it thefiy-wheel of a friction-drive of a well-known type. The rear end of the subframe is pivotally supported on the cross-bar B by means of a ring-bearing journaled in a circular bearing B formed in the cross-bar, the axis of this ring-bearing being coincident with the axis of the engine-shaft, so that the subframe is free to OSCJllittQ to a limited ex tent around the shaft as a center.

The steering-column J is rigidly aflixed to the subframe, and its shaft is connected to the steering-rods in the usual manner.

It Wlll be observed that the engine-frame is supported at its rear end by a single pivotal connection to the main frame and at its for Ward end by a pivotal connection with the main frame and in addition 'by the springs. In this way this subframe has but two points of direct connection to the main frame, and this connection is made at the approximate longitudinal center of the main frame, where The en- E the strains due to distortion of the main I and wholly independently of the main frame,

thus relieving the engine and its shaft of practically all strainsdue todistortion of the mainframe; i p 4 Owing to the fact that the engine-frame has its main connection to the main frame at.

the middle cross-bar, this cross-bar is made heavier than usual and is suitably braced at its ends where it connects with they side bars of the main frame. The usual ball thrustbearings are rovided on this cross-bar for the drive-dish fly-wheel. This manner of supportin the engine'is peculiarly beneficial when use with a friction-gearing, as is obvious.

7 .art that various mechanical embodiments of the. invention are possible, and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the exact arrangement and construction shown;

. What we claim, and desire to secure by- Letters Patent, is- I 1. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of a main frame supported resiliently on the axles and having a rigid cross-bar about midway its length, this cross-bar carrying a ringbearing about midway its length, an engine I having its shaft extending horlzontally rearward through said ring-bearing, a'frame sup-- porting the engine and provi d at its rear end. with a ring-pivot having a horizontal ivotal action in said bearing in the crossar, the axis of this ivot being approximately'coincident wit the axial center of the engine-shaft, and aspring supporting each forward corner of the subframe on the frontaxle 2. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of' the main frame resiliently mountedon axles and wheels, said frame being provided with a cross-bar about midway its length, an enginesup orting. subframe having its rear end pivota y connected to said cross-bar and its forward end pivotally connected-to the main It will be apparent to those skilled in the frame and resiliently supported on the frontaxle.

3. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of a main fram resiliently mounted on axles and wheels, a d an engine-carrying subframe having "a one-point connection at each end with said main frame and a two-point resilient connection atone end with one of'the axles.

a main frame resiliently mounted on axles and wheels, and an engine-supporting subframe mounted within the main frame and havin atone end a pivotal connection thereto an at its other end a resilient two-point connection with one of the axles.

5: In a motor-vehicle, the combination of amain frame resiliently supported and a subframe for the engine, this subframe. having 4. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of but a single point of direct connection atfbs rear end with the main' frame this connection being a plvotal one and being at the transverse center of Silld subframe, and springs supporting the forward end of this subframe upon the front axle.

' 6. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of a main frame resiliently supported and an engine-supportin subframe within the main frame and having its rear end ivotally connected to the mam frame direct y, the axis of this pivot being horizontal, and the forward end of the subframe being supported at its respective corners .upon springs attached to the 

